Taking on the best films of all time: The Voters vs. TK

Hello boys and girls,

So the other night I’m wandering around the house and I notice something on TV that my mom is watching that catches my eye. The program was called ABC News and People’s Best in Film: The Greatest Movies of Our Time. So being the entertainment guru that I am I instantly recorded it on the DVR and finally got around to watching it last night. I must say the results are somewhat spot on but at the same time we are all entitled to our opinions and boy do I have mine.

The results were tabulated by 500,000 people online and that’s how they determined the top 5 for numerous categories including: Best Line, Best Character, Best Sci-Fi Film and of course Best Movie. Don’t you worry ladies there was something for you to; Best Kiss, but sorry I’m not covering that one here, don’t hate me.

So I thought it would be fun to put their list to the test and offer up an interesting debate with my list. Now the rules for my list are simple, it has to be a movie that I’ve seen to qualify otherwise I won’t put it there. Now I’m not going to do every category because quite frankly that would just take too long but I’m going to cover some of the bigger ones from the program including: Best Sci-Fi Film; Best Action Film; Best Character; Best Animated Film, Best Comedy Movie and of course Best Movie, so without further a due let’s get started with our first list.

ABC News/People’s Best in Film List for Best Sci-Fi Film:
5. Close Encounters of the Third King
4. The Matrix
3. Avatar
2. E.T.
1. Star Wars

Now I do respect this list even though I have never seen film choices 2 and 5, I know, what’s wrong with me right?

TK’s Takeout List for Best Sci-Fi Film:
5. The Matrix
4. Inception
3. Jurassic Park
2. Avatar
1. Star Wars

I can’t pass up the fact that Star Wars changed the game forever. Never had a movie been more complex and on such a wide scale then George Lucas’ epic tale of A Galaxy Far Far Away. It’s a movie that will stand the test of time and will always in my eyes be the greatest Science Fiction film of all-time.

ABC News/People’s Best in Film List for Best Action Film:
5. Gladiator
4. Die Hard
3. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
2. The Dark Knight
1. Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark

This list is very loaded from top to bottom but of course it’s not the accurate one; let me show you guys what my list is.

TK’s Takeout List for Best Action Film:
5. The Expendables
4. Spiderman 2
3. 300
2. The Dark Knight
1. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

I grew up reading the classic tales of Frodo Baggins and the Fellowship of the Ring. Never before have I been more engulfed in a book then I was when I read the three Lord of the Rings books and never have I been more captivated at an action movie then Return of the King. It has everything a great action movie requires. Giant and epic battles; personal turmoil and conflict along with some pretty bad ass weapons. Return of the King is one of my favorite movies of all time and easily takes the top spot on my list for Best Action Movie.

ABC News/People’s Best in Film List for Best Character:

5. Indiana Jones
4. Hannibal Lector
3. Scarlett O’Hara
2. James Bond
1. Forrest Gump

All very solid choices by the 500,000 votes casted online but this is the Best Character list of all-time we’re talking about here, surely we can do better then this?

TK’s Takeout List for Best Character:
5. Ace Ventura
4. Dicky Eklund (The Fighter- Christian Bale)
3. Forrest Gump
2. Captain Jack Sparrow
1. The Joker (Heath Ledger)

Let’s face facts; the late and great Heath Ledger’s performance of Gotham City’s most insane villain will go down in my eyes as the single greatest performance of all-time. I left that theater with chills after seeing The Dark Knight for the first time. Every scene with Ledger had me on the edge of my seat and that is the definition of a great character; one in which you’re leaning in on every word they say or every action or mannerism a character has. The Joker takes the cake for Best Character and dares to ask the question, ‘Why So Serious?’

ABC News/People’s Best in Film List for Best Animated Film:

5. Fantasia
4. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
3. Beauty and the Beast
2. Toy Story
1. Lion King

Have seen all of these movies but come on people the technology has changed and animation has evolved into new heights that people never even dreamed of, so I know we can put together a better list then this one!

TK’s Takeout List for Best Animated Film:
5. Shrek
4. Finding Nemo
3. Up
2. How to Train Your Dragon
1. Toy Story

Ok I understand that I’m a 24 soon to be 25 year old male but come on, who didn’t grow up loving Buzz Lightyear and Woody? If you say you didn’t you’re probably just lying to yourself, but please embrace the inner child in you and reminisce about the old times when the first Toy Story came out and think about what a terrific movie it was and remains today. Not to mention that Toy Story 2 and 3 were both awesome in their own right. Toy Story had what most animated films lacked; emotion and a terrific story. Toy Story paved the way for the rest of the movies on my list and will always go down as one of; not just the best animated movie of all time but a classic that will stand the test of time. Say it with me, ‘To Infinity and Beyond!’

ABC News/People’s Best in Film List for Best Comedic Film:

5. Tootsie
4. Young Frankenstein
3. Some Like It Hot
2. Monty Python and the Holy Grail
1. Airplane

Well this list is just pure idiotic, where are the classics, wait what? These are the classic you say? Surely you can’t be serious? Ah, see what I did there? This list truly upsets me because first, I haven’t heard of some of these movies and second, I know we can compile something a little bit more substantial and funnier then this!

TK’s Takeout List for Best Comedic Film:
5. Wayne’s World
4. Anchorman
3. Ace Ventura
2. 40 Year Old Virgin
1. Dumb and Dumber

People seriously this category was by far the toughest thing I’ve ever done, ok not really, but seeing as comedy is my favorite genre this was freaking hard! I had to leave some personal favorites like Tropic Thunder, The Hangover and Airplane off because I just couldn’t squeeze them in anywhere. All undoubtedly funny but these are the comedy movies I grew up on and can watch non-stop; believe me I have. Dumb and Dumber takes the cheese for me. Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels are the best on screen comedy duo ever, period. Their antics and how brilliantly they play idiots, yes you read that write, is on screen comedy gold and the movie contains one of my top five favorite scenes ever. The one in which Harry is going to the bathroom and the ex-lax he is secretly given takes over, I can’t stop crying every time I see that scene. Bravo gentlemen, bravo!

ABC News/People’s Best in Film List for Best Film:

5. E.T.
4. Casablanca
3. The Godfather
2. The Wizard of Oz
1. Gone With the Wind

I’ll give you guys a second to recover from this sleepy boring list. Now that we’re done with that list let’s move onto something more relevant shall we? (I hope you guys know I’m being sarcastic, these are all defying time period movies and are all classics!)

TK’s Takeout List for Best Film:
5. Remember the Titans
4. The Fighter
3. Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
2. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
1. The Dark Knight

Yes this should come as no surprise to anyone who knows me. This movie gripped me from when I saw it at midnight a few years back and it has never let go. This movie to me encompasses everything a great movie should have. Acting, story, drama, comedy and that wow factor. The Dark Knight led by Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman and many others, is an all-star cast that doesn’t disappoint. The film grabs you from the opening bank robbery scene and leaves you on the edge of your seat as Gary Oldman does the voice over to Batman riding away on the Bat-cycle. This movie in my eyes is the greatest movie of all-time and with news of the next installment beginning to get underway next month, who knows we could be changing my top 5 order after the next one!!!

Alright my friends, that was it. The point of this is to cause you guys to think about what the so called results show and to stimulate your minds and for you to come up with your lists. So please after you read this and you really feel strongly about a category leave a comment ranking your top 5 for one, two or all of the categories if you want. I want to spark some debate here and see your rankings for these historic categories also.

Enjoy!

TK